In the part of the world where I live, society favors vaginal birth over Caesarean sectioning. The preference is largely due to the financial implications that usually accompany Caesarean section on one hand, and the anxiety to the loved ones that comes with the procedure on the other hand. Many people, including myself, have lost their loved ones to complications associated with the procedure.
Thus, men intending to marry are usually encouraged to go for women with body physiques that improve the chances of vaginal birth. Tall women with big hips are believed to be more 'fertile' than small-hip women. Fertility in this sense refers to the chances of giving birth without complications, irrespective of the number of times.
Society did not just arrive at the conclusion that tall and big-hip women are more fertile based on unfound claims, but due to the experience gathered over the years. They have witnessed cases of women giving birth multiple times without any complications and some being limited to just a child or even dying due to complications. According to them, many labor cases that end up with complications requiring Caesarian sectioning mostly involve small hip women.
While they may not be entirely right with their assertions, technically, they are not wrong to conclude that small hips may bring complications during labor and child delivery. Women generally evolved over time to develop wider hips than men so as to be able to curtail the burden of pregnancy and child delivery. In other words, a big hip is a trait that is selected by the forces of natural selection because it favors vaginal delivery.
Wider hips generally equate to a wider pelvis, and a wide pelvis comes in handy during vaginal births. While societies refer to such hips as child-bearing hips, medically, such pelvises are referred to as gynaecoid pelvis. They are characterized by a round or oval shape with a wider transverse diameter than the anterior-posterior diameter. This shape allows for the baby's head to easily pass through during vaginal delivery.
More recently though, people, especially those who have the financial means, are beginning to embrace Caesarean sectioning for what it is. This, on one hand, is due to advancement in medical technology that now makes the Caesarian sectioning procedure quite easy with reduced chances of complications. Patients now leave the hospital as early as the third day after the procedure, unlike in the past when they can stay as much as over a month recuperating on the hospital bed.
On another hand, Caesarian sectioning seems like a short-cut procedure to avoiding the pains and rigors of labor. A few months ago, a family friend gave birth to her fourth child using the procedure. Although she has now been told that any other pregnancy could pose a risk to her life due to the effects of the multiple Caesarian sectioning.
Apart from sidelining labor, the procedure allows the timing of the delivery to be planned in advance. This would be beneficial for women who have medical conditions that could make labor difficult or dangerous, or for those who have other scheduling considerations such as work or childcare arrangements.
A C-section, if properly carried out by trained professionals, also limits the risk of birth injuries, such as shoulder dystocia or trauma to the baby's head, which can occur during a vaginal delivery, particularly if the baby is large or in an unusual position.
One of the risks associated with vaginal delivery is pelvic floor damage which often results in urinary or fecal incontinence or other complications later in life. A properly conducted C-section helps lower this risk.
Apart from all these medical benefits of Caesarian sectioning, women or couples can also opt in for more personal reasons. I once heard of a couple that prefers the procedure in order to protect the integrity of the vagina, and thus, maintain the quality of their sexual life.
Different strokes for different folks, but what do you think?
Engage me in the comment section.